Today is a day of celebration. Celebrating two miracles that traveled a long journey to make it here with us.

I feel like the 3 months leading up to your birth was such a timeline. I replay it over and over in my head, and I think I just always will, especially when your birthday is near. Here is a glimpse at what you conquered before you were born.

February 16: I got a phone call from Dr. Simon telling me that my AFP blood test was elevated. And not just elevated, but four times greater than what it should be, even for being pregnant with twins. This could mean spina bifada, down syndrome, any neural tube defect… And it could be one of you, or both of you. Or it could be elevated for an unknown reason. So the next step was to get a high risk ultrasound.

After 2 long days of nothing but worrying about what could be wrong with the both of you, I had a high risk ultrasound on February 18. OK, brain and spinal cords for both babies were perfect. Both babies are completely healthy and growing perfectly. What was seen was a complete placenta previa with Baby A. The high risk OB sat me down and told me if the AFP is elevated and the baby is fine, there are 3 reasons for an elevated level then. They are increased risk for preterm labor, fetal growth restriction, or placenta dysfunction. I was told to only do light activities and return every 4 weeks for ultrasounds.

February 28: I woke up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom only to find a ton of blood. I hurried and woke Daddy up and told him, called the OB, and we were off to the hospital. It was a really cold and icy winter night, about 2:30am. Your Dad went through every red light until we got there. We were sure we lost you both. I was sure I lost you both. How could there be that much bleeding and you possibly be okay? We got to the hospital and they got me hooked up right away to all the monitors and did an ultrasound and there you were up on the screen and I saw both hearts beating away. You were both perfectly fine. The placenta was bleeding. I was not in labor. After a few hours, the bleeding stopped, and after a couple days, I got to go home on complete bedrest.

April 18: I got up from an afternoon nap to find that I was bleeding once again. I called Daddy to come home to pick me up to take me to the hospital, and then called Grandma Lucille to meet us there to take Kayce and Conor. This time I wasn’t *as* scared as the first time because now I knew that all the bleeding could just mean the placenta was growing and shifting again and causing the bleeding. But once we were at the hospital for a few hours, things started to turn for the worse. The bleeding was progressing and I started to have contractions. A NICU doctor came to speak with Daddy and me to ask us whether or not we wanted to resuscitate you if you should be born that night. Apparently before 25-26 weeks age gestation it is up to the parents to decide that, after 26 weeks they automatically resuscitate babies. He went over a list of numerous things that could be wrong if you were born at just 24 weeks gestation. I was given magnesium, steroids, everything to help you two mature your lungs just in case you had to be born. Luckily, after many hours, the contractions and bleeding both stopped. After 5 days in the hospital, I was homebound once again on complete bed rest.

May 5: Third bleed to land me in the hospital. Same as the bleed before, I took a nap and woke up bleeding. I called Daddy, he came home to pick us up, and Grandma Randi met us at the hospital to take Kayce and Conor. This one was not a bad one at all. I only stayed 2 days and was sent home again.

May 27: I woke up in the middle of the night bleeding. By the time we got to the hospital the bleeding had stopped and I actually wanted to go home and not be admitted. It was a Friday and it was Memorial Day weekend. Dr Simon said I was at least staying until Tuesday this time and at that point the entire OB team along with the high risk OB doctors were going to sit down and discuss my care plan. She prepared me that this might be complete hospital bed rest until you were born, since this was the fourth bleed. Daddy went to work after being up all night in L&D and then came back and brought me Pita Inn for dinner. He went home at about 8pm and I went to sleep. I woke up around 2:30am and once again was bleeding. So they brought me back down to L&D and I called Daddy to come back to the hospital. I started to have pretty bad contractions and the doctors believed that I was leaking amniotic fluid. At this point, they put me on antibiotics and would attempt to keep you in there for however long you would stay whether it was a day, or a week, or until infection set in. I got dilaudid for pain around 1pm and then tried going to sleep. I was drowsing in and out when I felt a huge gush of fluid and told your Daddy to hurry and get the nurse. She came in the room and then all I remember is a whole lot of people coming in. They estimated that I lost about a liter of blood and that you had to be born right then because I was hemorrhaging and it was no longer safe for you both or me to keep you in. The anestheseologist came in and told me about general anesthesia, at which point I begged for an epidural because I wanted to know so badly that you were okay and what gender you both were. Dr. Simon told him that I was okay to get an epidural and they took me to the OR. And then you two perfect, beautiful baby boys were born.

I replay that in my head over and over again. It was by far the scariest time of my entire life. When I was pregnant with Kayce and Conor, I felt like as long as they were inside me I could protect them from anything. And with you, I felt the complete opposite. I felt like as long as you were inside of me, I was a ticking time bomb, just waiting for something to happen. The relief that flooded over every cell in my body when you were born and crying and perfect, was indescribable.

I hope that when you are older and you read this entry, that you realize what a complete miracle you both are. Daddy and I hear and read about babies all the time, who were born around your gestational age or even older, and have so many medical problems. And here you both are, after what seemed to be longest, most difficult journey, and you are just perfect. I love you both so very much and thank God every day that you are here, healthy and happy with us, right where you belong.

6 Comments to “Happy 1st Birthday Devin and Dakota!”

Happy 1st birthday, Devin and Dakota! I cannot believe you are 1 years old already! This year has gone by so fast! Mommy is right—I cannot believe all the things you have gone through–and you are perfect little boys! I love watching you grow each and every day! I cannot wait to see all the new things you will try and do in this next year of life! I love you both more than you will ever, ever know!!!

Aww I love this post!!! Led me to tears! I cannot believe how far the 2 of you both have come! You are the strongest 2 guys I know with everything you have had gone through in the last year. Agree with Mommy….the most perfect little boys:) HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY:) love you guys to pieces!

Wow! Way to make me cry! One thing mommy didn’t really talk about in there was just how strong she was! We were all so worried about her and never once did she worry about what could happen to her. She just wanted to keep the two of you safe. I remember when I got to see you the night you were born. We had to scrub up like a doctor going into surgery. The two of you were so tiny. It was so hard to NOT be able to hold the two of you. We got reports from Mommy and Daddy letting us know that you were getting stronger. They were with you every day in that hospital. Then finally after over a month of being in the hospital you finally got to come home to us. It was the best feeling in the world to know that the two of you had fought so hard, and now here you are. It is amazing and I don’t think you will ever know what a blessing from God you have been. I love both of you so much. Happy 1st birthday with many more to come:-)

Quick add: Kayce and Conor were absolute champions during all this. Getting trekked to the hospital in many a panic or waking up in the middle of the night with a random family member instead of us. They never broke down or missed a beat. At 4 and 2, dudes had/have more stability than some adults I know.